A couple of decades ago, not much was typically done to secure gable-end trusses: at most, a few toe-nails, perhaps an occasional strap or diagonal brace. But these measures prove insufficient in a high-wind event, where negative pressures are the most likely forces to pull apart an underbuilt wall. And once the gable end goes, it can unzip a house, devastating the structure and ruining the entire contents of a home. As Richard Reynolds explains, retrofitting gable ends to resist hurricane-force winds must not only brace the framing members but also strengthen the connections. Here, he details the five-step process that results in a well-secured, well-sealed gable-end retrofit.